


The Grandfather Problem

by Detavot



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Canon - Manga, Gen, Here's some fluff for your souls, Manga & Anime, Our Ciel is named Astre for simplicty's sake, based on my headcanon on Tumblr, because we all need Tanaka fluff in our lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-21
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-08-05 13:28:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16368500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Detavot/pseuds/Detavot
Summary: The twins solve the problem of blood being thicker than water--and the teasing commences.





	The Grandfather Problem

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a headcanon on my Tumblr (@detavot).

    To be honest, it was quite unclear when that particular nickname got stuck. Perhaps it had been their Father who first introduced that nickname when they were but babes, and it eventually stuck in their subconscious minds? Or perhaps they had just made it up by seeing the man’s age… It did not matter, what mattered was that the nickname stuck and everyone was used to it.

    Though, some people were a bit _too_ used to it...

    “What do you mean?” Ciel asked, his head tilted innocently to one side in confusion. “Who’s Cedric Ross?” His twin shared his look, tilting his head to the other side as though they really were mirror reflections of one another. Vincent smiled at his little boys.

    “He is your grandfather,” was his reply. His brows lifted when the twins’ confusion only seemed to grow.  
  
    “But isn’t Tanaka our grandfather? We call him Gramps, don't we?”

    “Well, that is more of a nickname than an actual position in the family…”

    “We want Gramps!”

    “Ciel, Tanaka is not your grandfather!”

    Astre, who had been quietly observing until now, suddenly tugged on his Father’s sleeve. Vincent turned to him and was surprised to be met with blue eyes wet with unshed tears. “B-But…Gramps takes care of us… And he… And he plays with us…” A few of the tears streamed down his face and Vincent felt panic wash over him, as icy hot as the waves of the great oceans.

    “No, no, no,” he quickly said, trying his best to force the panic down enough to think rationally. He hugged the younger twin close to his chest as the child finally gave up on trying to make words and cried in earnest. “Shhh… shhh… What has come over the two of you all of a sudden…?”

    Ciel was pouting, though he was also rubbing his brother’s back comfortingly to calm him down. Even now, the elder sibling’s urge to protect shined through. “Why does Gramps have to stay an outsider? He takes care of us, he plays with us, he loves us! We want Gramps!”

    It was truly something only a child could think of--the work of innocent minds not yet tainted with the tradition and social hierarchy they would learn later in life. It had their Father thinking as he held his two sons close to him. Just when had he stopped seeing his servants as people who took care of him and his family? Just when had he stopped seeing the joy on those faces whenever his twin boys, ignorant to things such as status, would start a conversation with them?

    “You’re correct,” the man muttered quietly, almost to himself. But the twins heard it clearly enough, and Astre’s tear stained face lit up with the widest grin he had ever seen. That was when Vincent knew he had done good, he had made his children happy. “Tanaka may not be your biological grandfather, but he has every right to be in that position.”

    The twins quickly crawled off of his lap and ran out of the room as fast as their little legs allowed them. Vincent was convinced that they only heard half of his warning to not run too fast, and he chuckled in the now empty room. Well… That Japanese man had always been a better father figure for him, anyways.

    Later that day, Vincent spotted Tanaka smiling brightly as he hummed the Piper’s Son.

    Really, now; you would think that such a strict old man would at least be able to control himself until he was completely alone… But Vincent let him be as happy as he wanted for today, the teasing would come later.

 

* * *

 

    Three years later, the mansion was a grotesque image of the once so bright and cheerful home--a very insult to its predecessor. And yet, neither Tanaka nor the young Phantomhive had anywhere left to go.

    It was a dreadful night in which a thunderstorm was rocking the trees around and ripping away the immaculate flowers. A great fire roared in the fireplace and kept the room warm, bright, and positively the most breathtaking sight in such a circumstance. The young Phantomhive was working on the paperwork pile he seemed to never be able to pu a dent in, and Soma was practising chess with his loyal servant and friend Agni.

    Soma remembered how his grandparents had had a separate wing in his castle and how little he had seen them, he suddenly grew curious as to what exactly his new little brother’s relationship had been with his more distant relatives. “Hey, Ciel!” he called.

    “Yes?” was the annoyed voice that came behind the paperwork. The kid sounded much more annoyed than usual, and Soma knew the endless supply of paperwork provided to him by Sebastian might have a lot to do with it.

    “Do you have grandparents?”

    "Yes, there is Tanaka.” Soma was almost about to nod and accept the answer before what the Earl had truly said dawned upon him. He put his rook back where he had taken it from and looked back up at the desk. With the corner of his eye, he saw that the rest of the household was doing the same.

    “Tanaka… is your grandfather?” Soma asked slowly, wanting to make sure he had heard correctly.

    “Not biologically…” The Earl drifted off and suddenly looked up. His face was the reddest shade Soma had ever seen, excluding his asthma attack a few months prior. “No! Not at all! I don't know where that came from!”

    “You’re such a terrible liar, Ciel!” Soma exclaimed, a wide grin on his face. The Earl’s face grew redder and Soma was enjoying every minute of this. “So that’s why you’re so easy on Tanaka, hm? You love him too much to let him do the chores?”

    “Shut up, useless prince! Losers don't get to speak!”

    “I remember that I won at poker last time. Awwww, it really is adorable, Ciel!”

    “Wait, no, why are you coming towards me. No! Wait! Put me down this instant! Soma, I am not jesting, I will hurt you!” Soma laughed as the child tried to kick and push him away, taking every hit in stride as he continued to make adorably agitated sounds come out of the little brat's mouth.

    Of course, what kind of a big brother would Soma be if he wasn't going to embarrass his little brother every now and then?


End file.
